1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to structures used to move and support objects and persons.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Historically, structures and systems for supporting and positioning people and for supporting, positioning and transporting objects have been based on the geometry of the box and the wheel. In box geometry, stability is achieved through the transfer of weight of the structure plus any objects upon or supported by it through the sides or legs of the box to the floor or firmament, where gravitational and frictional forces hold the structure in a stationary position. The more weight the structure bears, the greater the frictional force holding it stationary.
Structures based on box geometry can only be moved through lifting, sliding or turning end-over-end. In the latter case, work must be done to lift one side of the structure upward until the center of gravity shifts far enough for the box to fall on the next side, thereby jarring and potentially damaging contents or any attached objects. This inherent stability is the main advantage of box geometry. For instance, a traditional office desk may support many objects on the horizontal surface and contain many other objects in drawers that require horizontal orientation to maintain order, since tipping or sliding the desk structure could result (i) in objects sliding off the horizontal surface or (ii) in drawers opening and their contents being spilled.
When mobility is required, the box is outfitted with wheels or casters that rotate around a fixed axle or roil within a fixed housing. Alternatively, the box is placed upon a wheeled structure such as a handcart or dolly. Using the inherently mobile wheel in conjunction with the inherently stationary box allows the box itself and any objects contained within or attached to it to maintain their original horizontal orientation during transport.
As the equipment demands of technical and professional fields increase (e.g., many professionals employ two or more processors and multiple displays), so also increases the amount of time and energy expended moving equipment and workstations from place to place. Large corporations routinely move workers and all of their equipment between offices and buildings on corporate campuses, incurring substantial costs in terms of time and productivity. An office move may require a full day's work, including disconnecting and reconnecting cordage, disassembly of a workstation into separate units for transport, and extensive manual lifting to overcome obstacles, such as stairs, doorways and narrow spaces. Moving professionals frequently are hired to protect the corporation and its staff from potential injury or disability in a move.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,854,751 (Halke) describes an object lifting and moving device in which circular rim has a counterbalancing weight on one interior surface and a mounting plate is provided off center within the rim. An object to be moved can be mounted to the mounting plate and then moved by rolling the structure on the circular rim. Such device has no functionality as a stand alone workstation, but merely facilitates moving awkward shaped or heavy objects from one location to another. The objects being moved must be separated from the mounting plate and installed in a new location for use following such move.
U.S. Pat. Publication No. 2001 0045497 (Coonan) concerns a desktop computer and video screen on a portable stand. Such construction is a pedestal or cabinet on a base with castors or wheels. As such, it is top-heavy, and only a limited amount of equipment can be attached or transported. Furthermore, the width of the base leaves little space under the horizontal work surface to allow for ergonomic body positioning of a user.
The information age has brought a 90-degree shift in the way information is processed and presented, from the horizontal paper-based workspace to the vertically-oriented workspace using electronic viewing devices, such as the CRT or the LCD screen. Mobility and connectivity are highly valued, too, as exemplified in the wireless Internet and notebook computers and PDAs. At the same time, people are becoming larger, heavier, and less mobile. The prevalence of computer-interactive activity and video entertainment means that more people spend more time in physically inactive positions.
U.S. Pat. Publication No. 2004 0254020 (Dragusin) discloses a computer/video gaming workstation that is based on box geometry. The workstation makes no provision for transportability, and has only enough horizontal workspace to accommodate a computer keyboard and mouse.
More and more people are working with notebook or laptop computers. Outside the office environment, however, few places are outfitted with ergonomically designed spaces for physically comfortable information-processing with notebook computers. Most often, the portable computer is placed on any available flat surface, such as a dining table or a lap, wherein the viewing area is below the sightline of the user. This causes the user to hunch, slouch or maintain an otherwise poor ergonomic position, which can load to discomfort and injury.
U.S. Pat. Publication No. 2006 0016372 (Younse) shows a combination dinette table and computer workstation assembly in which half of the table surface folds away and the electronic viewing device is then affixed in a vertical position to the wall, thereby raising it to eye level. However, Younse has no ergonomic sitting solution. The assembly stands on two fixed pedestal bases, and is designed for use in a fixed location, such as within a recreation vehicle (RV). It must be disassembled for transport. See also, U.S. Pat. Publication Nos. 2002 0134697 (Barnett), 2003 0080655 (Goldberg) and 2005 0099102 (Villareal), which describe various wheeled cabinets and pedestal constructions that may accommodate a notebook computer. None of these provide accommodation for the legs and body position of the user. Moreover, the constructions must be lifted or disassembled to negotiate stairs or uneven terrain.
Internet use and video gaming require a user to focus intently on the screen or monitor. Some video gaming facilities include structures in which a user may sit while playing a game. U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,613 (Wedeking) describes a gaming chair with a curved base that has an attachment for a joystick or other gaming control. Wedeking's chair has a low center of gravity, making it difficult to sit in or rise out of the chair. Wedeking does not include an integrated computer keyboard or mouse, or any other workstation features. His gaming chair is dedicated solely to video games.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,676,015 (Feick) shows a sporting wheel that has two hoops connected together by rods or traverses. A person may be supported within the wheel by standing on two of the traverses (foot supports) and holding on to handles associated with the hoops. Feick's sporting wheel has no associated work station or fixtures for securing computing equipment thereto. Feick's sporting wheel is meant to continue to roll during exercise, and lacks stability that would be required for stationary work station use. See also German Pat. Appln. No. DE 3904275 (Ruh).
In summary, prior art based on box-and-wheel geometry does not describe an apparatus that provides for mobility, transportability, stability, versatility of application, and range of motion in a single system.